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Video: Michelle, Sasha Obama’s ritzy Spain holiday

Transcript of: Michelle, Sasha Obama’s ritzy Spain holiday

MEREDITH VIEIRA, co-host:President Obama
celebrates his 49th birthday today but his wife and his daughters will not be around to help him blow out the candles on his
birthday cake
.
NBC
's
Norah O'Donnell
can explain why.
Norah
, good morning to you.

NORAH O'DONNELL reporting:Good morning,
Meredith
. Well, you could say the first lady is saying adios to
President Obama
on his 49th birthday. We just got pictures of the first lady and daughter
Sasha
arriving in
Spain
because they're going to be visiting one of the world's most exclusive resorts.
Spain
is known for its flamingo, its bullfighting and tapas. Just part of what the country has to offer first lady
Michelle Obama
and her youngest daughter, nine-year-old
Sasha
.

O'DONNELL:The White House
calls it a private mother/daughter trip with friends, a four-day visit to
Marbella
.

Ms. KATE MAXWELL (Conde Nast Traveler):It attracts a lot of the world's glitzy rich and famous, professional footballers,
TV
stars. There's a big yachting scene and a lot of
golf courses
in the area as well.

O'DONNELL:The
Obamas
have reportedly booked dozens of rooms at
Spain
's most exclusive hotel, a
Ritz-Carlton
resort. The five-star
Hotel Villa Padierna
, boasts five restaurants, a spa and three 18-hole
golf courses
. And the rooms are not cheap.

Ms. MAXWELL:The price of rooms at the
Ritz-Carlton
really is going to keep the riffraff out. I think they range in price form about $250 a night to about $6500 a night.

O'DONNELL:The hefty price tag for the trip is raising questions about whether taxpayers will have to foot the bill.

Mr. ROBERT GIBBS (White House Press Secretary):It's a private trip and is being paid for that way.

O'DONNELL:Mrs.
Obama
will also make an official visit to
Spain
's
King Juan Carlos
and
Queen Sofia
. Overseas trips for first ladies are not rare. In fact, last year the first family visited
Russia
,
Italy
and
Africa
. And
Mrs. Clinton
once took daughter
Chelsea
on a whirlwind trip to
Africa
.

Ms. MYRA GUTIN (First Lady Historian):Mrs.
Obama
going to the resort might generate some negative criticism because of the fact that the resort where she'll be staying is rather lavish during times when the economy is not very good and many people are looking for work.

O'DONNELL:And while Mrs.
Obama
is jet-setting overseas, the president is is home alone making a trip to
Chicago
on his birthday.

President BARACK OBAMA:All right, guys.

Mr. GIBBS:Of course he will miss them. They'll be all back together soon.

O'DONNELL:The whole family won't be back together again until late August when they vacation in
Martha's Vineyard
.

Pres. OBAMA:Malia
going away for camp, which she's never done before, and I may shed a tear when she's on the way off.

O'DONNELL:Well, today is in fact
President Obama
's 49th birthday, but he won't really be home alone. In fact, he might be spending some time out on the town, his old stomping grounds in
Chicago
. That's where he's headed today. He's got some big fundraisers there tomorrow.
Meredith
: